The Sounds of Harvest

I heard it this morning, just outside my bedroom window.

The thunderous echoing sounds of reverberating metal. Whoops and hollers and shouts. Scrambling of feet and rustling of leaves. And once you’ve heard it, you never forget it. It’s a sound unlike anything else-the sounds of harvest!

click photo to enlarge

Grape pickers running through the vineyard cutting off fruit as fast as they can. Teams of men rushing to fill their small plastic bins. Furiously dumping into large metal gondolas that are dragged behind tractors, en route to the winery. There’s an excitement and urgency to the process, as everyone works hard to harvest the fruit before the morning sun gets too hot. And, it’s the sound of hope as we start the winemaking cycle all over again. Maybe this will be the vintage that turns heads and scores highly with the critics! Maybe this will be the vintage our customers come begging for more!

I’ve heard these sounds every year since I was 9 years old and it always makes me feel a bit nostalgic. I’m reminded of earlier days when things were simpler and our business less advanced. When the same person who did sales and marketing also did sugar sampling and shoveled pomace.  It’s been a long time since I’ve worked the harvest and while I can’t say I miss it (it’s grueling work), there’s a part of me that feels sad to be so far removed from the crush process. But, there’s no turning back as they say. So, once again, harvest has started and with it, another year of possibilities. Kind of like New Year’s only you don’t have to go on a diet or swear off chocolate.

Cheers to the vintage of 2008!